Английский язык с Крестным Отцом

Michael said thoughtfully, really surprised, "Nino was always a real good guy. I never

knew him to do anything lousy, say anything to put anybody down. He never gave a

damn about anything. Except the booze."

"Yeah," Johnny said. "The money is rolling in, he could get a lot of work, singing or in

the movies. He gets fifty grand a picture now and he blows it. He doesn't give a damn

about being famous. All the years we've been buddies I've never known him to do

anything creepy. And the son of a bitch is drinking himself to death."

Jules was about to say something when there was a knock on the door of the suite.

He was surprised when the man in the armchair, the man nearest the door, did not

answer it but kept reading the newspaper. It was Hagen who went to open it. And was

almost brushed aside when Moe Greene came striding into the room followed by his

two bodyguards.

202

Moe Greene was a handsome hood who had made his rep as a Murder Incorporated

executioner in Brooklyn. He had branched out into gambling and gone west to seek his

fortune, had been the first person to see the possibilities of Las Vegas and built one of

the first hotel casinos on the Strip. He still had murderous tantrums and was feared by

everyone in the hotel, not excluding Freddie, Lucy and Jules Segal. They always stayed

out of his way whenever possible.

His handsome face was grim now. He said to Michael Corleone, "I've been waiting

around to talk to you, Mike. I got a lot of things to do tomorrow so I figured I'd catch you

tonight. How about it?"

Michael Corleone looked at him with what seemed to be friendly astonishment.

"Sure," he said. He motioned in Hagen's direction. "Get Mr. Greene a drink, Tom."

Jules noticed that the man called Albert Neri was studying Moe Greene intently, not

paying any attention to the bodyguards who were leaning against the door. He knew

there was no chance of any violence, not in Vegas itself. That was strictly forbidden as

fatal to the whole project of making Vegas the legal sanctuary of American gamblers.

Moe Greene said to his bodyguards, "Draw some chips for all these people so that

they can gamble on the house." He obviously meant Jules, Lucy, Johnny Fontane and

Michael's bodyguard, Albert Neri.

Michael Corleone nodded agreeably. "That's a good idea." It was only then that Neri

got out of his chair and prepared to follow the others out.

After the good-byes were said, there were Freddie, Tom Hagen, Moe Greene and

Michael Corleone left in the room.

Greene put his drink down on the table and said with barely controlled fury, "What's

this I hear the Corleone Family is going to buy me out? I'll buy you out. You don't buy

me out."

Michael said reasonably, "Your casino has been losing money against all the odds.

There's something wrong with the way you operate. Maybe we can do better."

Greene laughed harshly. "You goddamn Dagos, I do you a favor and take Freddie in

when you're having a bad time and now you push me out. That's what you think. I don't

get pushed out by nobody and I got friends that will back me up."

Michael was still quietly reasonable. "You took Freddie in because the Corleone

Family gave you a big chunk of money to finish furnishing your hotel. And bankroll your

casino. And because the Molinari Family on the Coast guaranteed his safety and gave

you some service for taking him in. The Corleone Family and you are evened out. I

203

don't know what you're getting sore about. We'll buy your share at any reasonable price

you name, what's wrong with that? What's unfair about that? With your casino losing

money we're doing you a favor."

Greene shook his head. "The Corleone Family don't have that much muscle anymore.

The Godfather is sick. You're getting chased out of New York by the other Families and

you think you can find easier pickings here. I'll give you some advice, Mike, don't try."

Michael said softly, "Is that why, you thought you could slap Freddie around in

public?"

Tom Hagen, startled, turned his attention to Freddie. Freddie Corleone's face was

getting red. "Ah. Mike, that wasn't anything. Moe didn't mean anything. He flies off the

handle sometimes, but me and him are good friends. Right, Moe?"

Greene was wary. "Yeah, sure. Sometimes I got to kick asses to make this place run

right. I got sore at Freddie because he was banging all the cocktail waitresses and

letting them goof off on the job. We had a little argument and I straightened him out."

Michael's face was impassive when he said to his brother, "You straightened out,

Freddie?"

Freddie stared sullenly at his younger brother. He didn't answer. Greene laughed and

said, "The son of a bitch was taking them to bed two at a time, the old sandwich job.

Freddie, I gotta admit you really put it to those broads. Nobody else could make them

happy after you got through with them."

Hagen saw that this had caught Michael by surprise. They looked at each other. This

was perhaps the real reason the Don was displeased with Freddie. The Don was